The arrest of a Queens man on gun charges two years ago led federal authorities to the discovery of a satanic pedophile extortion cult that targets minors over the Internet, according to a report.
Detectives discovered the group, called 764, while investigating disturbing social media posts made by Angel Almeida, 23, who was captured in November 2021 and charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, police say. court documents.
In February, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn announced that they had filed a substitute indictment against the Hispanic, adding charges related to child exploitation and seduction of minors.
Before his arrest, the FBI followed anonymous tips that allegedly linked him to social media accounts that had posts about child sexual abuse, including an Instagram profile with the username “@necropedocell,” which featured a photo of what looked like being a bound and gagged child.
A post on another of Almeida’s alleged Instagram accounts showed him posing with ammunition strapped to his chest, in front of a black flag with the logo of the Order of the Nine Angels (O9A), which prosecutors described as “a global Satanist group.” …which embraces elements of neo-Nazism and white supremacy.”
When officials searched Almeida’s home, they found hundreds of files containing child sexual abuse material on four separate devices, as well as books linked to O9A and Satanism, court documents say.
Additionally, they discovered a “blood pact,” an O9A drawing of a hooded figure with the group’s symbols and stained with what appeared to be blood, the New York Post reported.
On September 12, the FBI issued a public notice about 764, a “violent online group” that “deliberately targets minor victims on publicly available messaging platforms to extort them into recording or livestreaming acts of self-harm and producing child sexual abuse material.”
Sources told The Guardian that it is believed that the sect is actually an offshoot of O9A and that authorities found the group through the investigation of the Almeida case.
Members of 764 are believed to “use threats, blackmail and manipulation” to get vulnerable minors, particularly those who identify with the LGBTIQ+ community, racial minorities and those with mental health problems, to record acts of self-harm, abuse animal, sexual acts and suicide, according to the FBI.
The group targets victims through platforms such as Roblox, Discord and Twitch, as well as Soundcloud playlists and the Telegram app, detectives told The Guardian.
There are possibly thousands of 764 members, and hundreds more active members who track these platforms frequently.
Although the FBI warning in early September marked the first time that US authorities have publicly named the 764, the ring has already made headlines abroad.
In addition to possession of child pornography, the Hispanic man is accused of trying to lure two underage girls into sexual activity, one of whom he attacked with the aim of producing and disseminating child sexual abuse material, according to the indictment. February.
“As alleged, Almeida posed multiple threats to our community, not only as a felon in possession of a firearm, but also by targeting children as victims of sexual abuse,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael Driscoll.
At a recent hearing in federal court in Brooklyn, Almeida, who had previously served 18 months in prison in Florida on robbery charges, scoffed at the serious allegations against him.
“What the hell do you call a minor? “You tell me what a minor is,” she ranted as Judge Rachel P. Kovner detailed the substance of the attempted child exploitation charges.
At the beginning of the process, Almeida confirmed that she was diagnosed with “schizophrenic bipolar disorder” in 2018, but was never medicated for that condition.
After a long evaluation process, the Hispanic man was declared competent to stand trial at the beginning of last month. The trial will begin on December 4.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
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